The Blessing of the Valar
by Indil Elondili
Summary: Lady Celebrian and Lord Elrond of Rivendell have just delivered their fourth and final child, Niphredil. Her future was mostly laid out, for she was betrothed to young Legolas of Mirkwood, to lead a long and joyus life. But then the unforseeable occured.


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**Author's Comments-** Hey all! JC here. LotR is truly my daydream, and this is my dreamfic. Just so you know, this is the first fic in a 2-part series. And yes, the genre is correct, it will have a sad ending. But if you stick around long enough, you'll see the final happy ending to this story. 

**Disclaimer-** I don't own LotR. Don't sue me, I'm broke.

**Spoilers-** This will contain parts from both movies and books, so bear with me

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The normally calm and composed Lady Celebrian of Rivendell lay sweat-streaked and exausted on the soft silks of her birthing-bed as the elven midwife carried her newborn child away. With closed eyes, she breathed deeply into herself to regain the energy spent in her hard labor. After a while her keen hearing brought to her the sounds of her husband's soft step and cries of her youngest child. The wooden door swung open to reveal Lord Elrond with a worried crease to her forehead, one that was swiftly erased when he saw his wife's soft smile. He laid the babe into his love's arms, and she crooned softly as her daughter's cries quieted.

"What shall her name be?" He asked softly. Celebrian didn't answer as she examined for the first time the product of her labor.

Layers of baby fat masked the infant, but still some mark of her form could be determined. She was a little shorter than her mother's forearm, with pudgy arms ending with graceful hands. Small feet kicked feebly as she shifted in her sleep. Her eyes were open in the elven manner of rest, revealing the storm cloud colored eyes that all of Elrond's children bore. Already apon her head was a thick patch of downy brown hair, and beneath the pale layers of baby fat could be seen the promintent cheekbones of the Lothlorien elves. Celebrian smiled softly as she fingered the pink lips and pale cheeks.

"Niphredil. The pale flower that covers the hills of my kinfolk's lands."

Elrond nodded and smiled. "A good name, one fitting for our child. Here, I will take her while you prepare yourself for presentation to the people of Rivendell, if you wish."

His wife smiled and shook her finger at him. " And the family, _melamin_, I'm sure they wish to see their sister."

Elrond chuckled. " Yes, and the family."

As he took his daughter into his arms, he placed a gentle kiss on his beloved's brow. Celebrian smiled and caressed his cheek, then gently shooed him from the room. As he closed the door behind him, he sighed. This had been a difficult pregnancy for Celebrian, followed by a hard birth. Four children were more than he had ever hoped of having, but he knew this would be the last. Silently he thanked the Valar for this blessing, for both his wife and his child being hale and healthy. He nodded to the ladys maid waiting beside the door, and with a bobbed curtsy she swept into the birthing room. He took Niphredil into the nursery that all of children has slept in, and quickly but gently changed her into small white gown that Celebrian had made during the long periods of inactivity. When he stepped out, Celebrian was waiting for him, and with a smile she relieved him of his daughter. He placed one hand on the small of her back, and led her to the private library where the rest of the family and close friends were waiting. As he walked through the hallways, he couldn't help but smile, and all that saw him knew it was the smile of a proud and happy father.

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The library was filled with the sounds of anxious and excited chatterings. In one corner stood Galadriel and Celeborn, Celebrian's parents. With them stood Gil-Galad and a young elf named Glorifindel, and King Thuranduil of Mirkwood. Thuranduil's son, a young elf named Legolas, stood with the twin sons of Elrond, Elladan and Elrohir, in a different corner of the library, closer to the door. Arwem, Elrond's oldest child, waited patiently outside the door for her parents. When they approached, she grinned and opened the library doors.

"Here they are!"

Celebrian smiled down at her enthused oldest. Immediately well wishers, laughing and exclaiming over the child, surrounded them. Arwen and her brothers were closest, eagerly they touched and tickled their new sister. Laughing, Elrond shooed them away.

"You'll have plenty of time to play later."

Next Galadriel approached her daughter. Reaching out long pale and graceful arms for the child, she smiled at Celebrian. As she settled the babe in her arms, she examined the child. " Again, the child bears Elrond's mark in her hair and eyes, but she has the face and form of my own kin."

Then her sapphire eyes seemed to look both within and without and when she next spoke, her voice was distant._ **"Niphredil will live a long and prominent life, and will exceed all expectations of her."**_

Galadriel's eyes cleared, and her voice returned to normal. "Her name is Niphredil…?"

Feeling slightly troubled, Celebrian could only nod. Elrond spoke. " Again, Lady Galadriel, you have proven your gift of foresight."

But the importance of Galariel's words was lost on the younger elves, for Arwen cried, " Niphredil! Like the flowers. Such a pretty name."

Legolas approached Lady Galadriel and Lady Celebrian and asked politel, "May I please hold her?"

Over his head, his father stifled a smile. In the months before Niphredil's birth, Thuranduil, Erond, and Celebrian had agreed that she and Legolas would be betrothed, and that when both came of age, they would be wed. Yet neither parent would force their child into a marriage with no love, so they had been considering ways to foster such a relationship.

In response to his question, Celebrian smiled at the tall fair-haired elf. "Of course, Legolas. But be careful, mind her head."

As he took the child carefully, no adult could help but smile at the child-like wonder on his face as he looked down at the peaceful babe. Behind him, Elladan and Elrohir pouted that they had not been able to hold her, but they soon smiled again. On a sudden impulse, Elrond spoke. "Legolas, would you like to help us take care of Niphredil? Whenever you are in Rivendell, you can be her friend, when she is older, she may talk to you more than she would to her kin. You can be her… protector, of sorts."

He looked at Thuranduil, who grinned back at him and nodded. Legolas, his blue eyes wide with amazement, beamed at Elrond. "Oh, yes, Lord Elrond, I would love to!"

Elrond chuckled. "Very well then, it is done." And he took his daughter from Legolas' arms.

And so Niphredil Elondili, the youngest child of Elrond, came into the world.

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